spermatium

[ spur-mey-shee-uhm ]

/ spɜrˈmeɪ ʃi əm /

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noun, plural sper·ma·ti·a

[spur-mey-shee-uh]. /spɜrˈmeɪ ʃi ə/.

Botany. the nonmotile male gamete of a red alga.

Mycology. a minute, colorless cell, of certain fungi and lichens, believed to be a male reproductive body, developed within spermogonia.

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Origin of spermatium

1855–60; <New Latin <Greek spermátion, equivalent to spermat- (stem of spérma) sperm¹ + -ion-ium

Words nearby spermatium

spermatic cord, spermatic duct, spermatic fluid, spermaticide, spermatid, spermatium, spermato-, spermatoblast, spermatocele, spermatocide, spermatocyte

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

British Dictionary definitions for spermatium

spermatium

/ (spɜːˈmeɪtɪəm) /

noun plural -tia (-tɪə)

a nonmotile male reproductive cell in red algae and some fungi

Word Origin for spermatium

C19: New Latin, from Greek spermation a little seed; see sperm 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for spermatium

spermatium

[ spər-mā′shē-əm ]

Plural spermatia

A nonmotile cell in red algae and certain ascomycete fungi that functions as a male gamete.